Misplaced Pages

#777222

135-745: The Town class was a group of twenty-one light cruisers built for the Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) of the first half of the 20th century. These vessels were long-range cruisers, suitable for patrolling the vast expanse covered by the British Empire . These ships, initially rated as second class cruisers , were built to a series of designs, known as the Bristol (five ships), Weymouth (four ships), Chatham (three RN ships, plus three RAN ships), Birmingham (three ships, plus one similar RAN ship) and Birkenhead (two ships) classes – all having

270-539: A British Army officer in the 78th Highlanders , who had been an aide-de-camp to the former governor of Ceylon, Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton , and was serving as a staff officer at Kandy . Sophia's father Alfred Lambe was a wine merchant and Purveyor of Mineral Water to the King. She was brought up New Bond Street in Mayfair, London. Fisher commented, "My mother was a most magnificent and handsome, extremely young woman....My father

405-412: A draught of 15 feet 6 inches (4.7 m). Displacement was 4,800 long tons (4,900  t ) normal and 5,300 long tons (5,400 t) full load. Twelve Yarrow three-drum boilers fed steam turbines rated at 22,000 shaft horsepower (16,000 kW), giving a speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph). One ship, Bristol , had Brown-Curtis turbines driving two propeller shafts, while

540-721: A 4.5-inch (114 mm) belt in the Towns and were capable of 32.5 knots, but for the most part tried to stay within past treaty limitations. The US also attempted to follow treaty limitations as it completed seven of its nine Brooklyn -class cruisers between 1938 and September 1939. These ships were an answer to Japan's Mogami s and were an indication of rising tensions in the Pacific theater. Japan, now considering itself under no restrictions, began rearming its Mogami s with 10 8-inch (203 mm) guns. They were thus converted into heavy cruisers. In World War II light cruisers had guns ranging from

675-476: A Crimean War Victoria Cross holder. Donegal was a Conqueror -class ship of the line , with auxiliary screw propulsion. She plied between Portsmouth and Hong Kong, taking out relief crews and bringing home the crews they replaced. During this time he completed his torpedoes treatise. In May 1870, Fisher transferred, again as second in command, to HMS  Ocean , flagship of the China Station. It

810-440: A beam of 49 feet (14.9 m) and a draught of 16 feet (4.9 m). Displacement was 5,400 long tons (5,500 t) normal and 6,000 long tons (6,100 t) full load. The belt consisted of 2-inch (51 mm) of nickel-steel on top of 1-inch (25 mm) of high-tensile steel, tapering from 3– 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -inch (76–64 mm) forward and to 2-inch (51 mm) aft. It covered from 8.25–10.5 feet (2.51–3.20 m) above

945-405: A following of officers concerned with the poor offensive capabilities of the fleet, including John Jellicoe and Percy Scott . For the next 15 months he had no naval command and still suffered the effects of his illness. He took to visiting Marienbad , which was famous amongst notable society for its restoring climate, and went there regularly in later years. During June–July 1885, Fisher served

1080-568: A funnel, reducing the ship's speed, while one 6-inch was removed, with 4-inch anti-aircraft guns added. She was subject to further armament revisions during the Second World War, with more 6- and 4-inch guns removed to accommodate depth charge throwers, and radar being fitted. In 1912, work began on a new cruiser for trade protection duties in response to rumours of large German cruisers that were thought to being built for commerce raiding. A series of designs were drawn up for what became known as

1215-578: A gold cup for the ship which performed best at gunnery, and insisted upon shooting at greater range and from battle formations. He found that he too was learning some of the complications and difficulties of controlling a large fleet in complex situations, and immensely enjoyed it. Notes from his lectures indicate that, at the start of his time in the Mediterranean, useful working ranges for heavy guns without telescopic sights were considered to be only 2000 yards, or 3000–4000 yards with such sights, whereas by

1350-554: A gunnery instructor, where he remained until 1869. Towards the end of his posting he became interested in torpedoes , which were invented in the 1860s, and championed their cause as a relatively simple weapon capable of sinking a battleship. His expertise with torpedoes led to his being invited to Germany in June 1869 for the founding ceremony of a new naval base at Wilhelmshaven , where he met King William I of Prussia (soon to become German emperor), Bismarck and Moltke . Perhaps inspired by

1485-565: A handful of scout cruisers while Japan and Spain added a few examples based on British designs; France built none at all. During World War I, the Germans continued building larger cruisers with 150 mm guns while the British Arethusa class and early C-class cruisers reverted to an emphasis on superior speed with a more lightly-armed design for fleet support. The United States resumed building light cruisers in 1918, largely because

SECTION 10

#1732863127778

1620-463: A hero. Shore duty had the unfortunate effect that Fisher became seriously ill with dysentery and malaria. He refused to take sick leave, but eventually was ordered home by Lord Northbrook, who commented, 'the Admiralty could build another Inflexible , but not another Fisher'. During this time he became a close friend of the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra . He was appointed a Companion of

1755-563: A joke, Fisher arranged for anything that could go wrong with the lamps to do so, sending Colomb away disheartened over his invention (although Fisher officially reported favourably about the lamps). On another occasion, the naval hospital at Halifax requested some flags to fly for the Queen's birthday. Fisher obliged, but sent only yellow and black flags signifying plague and quarantine. On the other hand, he worked hard at improving his ship. As reported by his second in command, Commander Wilmot Fawkes ,

1890-410: A large metacentric height so that they would remain stable in the event of flooding above the armoured deck. This, however, resulted in the ships rolling badly, making them poor gun platforms. One problem with the armour of the Bristol s which was shared with the other Town-class ships was the sizable gap between the bottom of the gun shields and the deck, which allowed shell splinters to pass through

2025-511: A lead in small cruiser design in the 1890s, building a class of fast cruisers—the Gazelle class —copied by other nations. Such vessels were powered by coal-fired boilers and reciprocating steam engines and relied in part on the arrangement of coal bunkers for their protection. The adoption of oil-fired water-tube boilers and steam turbine engines meant that older small cruisers rapidly became obsolete. Furthermore, new construction could not rely on

2160-445: A much greater firing rate and greater overall weight of broadside . The potentially much greater ranges of large guns was not an issue, because no one knew how to aim them effectively at such ranges. He argued that "the design of fighting ships must follow the mode of fighting instead of fighting being subsidiary to and dependent on the design of ships." As regards how officers needed to behave, he commented, " Think and act for yourself

2295-415: A much more likely enemy. The correspondence revealed that Fisher remained uncertain how his views were being received at the Admiralty and an uncertainty on his part whether he would receive further promotions. He had already received approaches to become a director of Armstrong Whitworth , of Elswick (then Britain's largest armaments firm), at a considerably larger salary than that of an admiral and with

2430-424: A number of alterations during the war, including the addition of a single 3 in (76 mm) AA gun in 1915, while the surviving ships were fitted with director control equipment for the ships' guns on a new tripod foremast. In 1917, Yarmouth was the first light cruiser to be able to operate aircraft, being fitted with a ramp above the conning tower and forecastle gun to allow a Sopwith Pup to be launched from

2565-507: A posting in England. In 1872, he returned to England to the gunnery school Excellent , this time as head of torpedo and mine training, during which time he split the Torpedo Branch off from Excellent , forming a separate establishment for it called HMS  Vernon . His duties included lecturing, and negotiating the purchase of the navy's first Whitehead torpedo . In order to promote

2700-538: A proponent of the new compass being designed by Sir William Thomson which incorporated corrections for the deviation caused by the metal in iron ships. From 9 January to 24 July 1879 Fisher commanded HMS  Pallas serving in the Mediterranean Command under Geoffrey Phipps Hornby . Pallas was in poor condition, having a chain passed around the ship to hold the armour plates in place. The tour included an official visit to Istanbul where Fisher dined with

2835-669: A short posting to HMS  Minotaur in the Baltic under Admiral Hornby, following the Panjdeh Incident , which led to fear of war with Russia. From November 1886 to 1890, he was Director of Naval Ordnance , responsible for weapons and munitions. He was responsible for the development of quick-firing guns to be used against the growing threat from torpedo boats, and particularly claimed responsibility for removing wooden boarding pikes from navy ships. The Navy did not have responsibility for manufacture and supply of weapons and ammunition, which

SECTION 20

#1732863127778

2970-641: A speed of 25.5 knots (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph). While main armament again consisted of eight 6 in guns in single mountings, a new gun, the BL 6 inch Mk XII was used. This was shorter and lighter than the Mk XI guns used in earlier ships, and while range was slightly less (14,000 yards (13,000 m) compared to 14,600 yards (13,400 m)), they were much easier to handle in rough weather and were more accurate. They had larger magazines, giving up to 200 rounds per gun rather than 150 in earlier ships. The remaining armament

3105-556: A strong navy deterred other nations from engaging it in battle, thus decreasing the likelihood of war: "On the British fleet rests the British Empire." Fisher also believed that the risk of catastrophe in a sea battle was far greater than on land: a war could be lost or won in a day at sea, with no hope of replacing lost ships, but an army could be rebuilt quickly. When an arms race broke out between Germany and Britain to build larger navies,

3240-595: A submarine when she rammed the German submarine U-15 on 9 August. In 1915, HMS Glasgow found SMS  Dresden , which had escaped from the engagement at the Falkland Islands the previous year, in which Glasgow had helped in sinking SMS  Leipzig . Dresden was eventually scuttled by her own crew after a short engagement . Ships of the class also took part in the Battle of Dogger Bank in 1915. In 1916, ships of

3375-473: A success and more were ordered, but Fisher immediately ran into trouble by insisting that all shipbuilders, not just Yarrow's, should be invited to build boats to Yarrow's design. A similar (though opposite) difficulty with vested interests arose over the introduction of water tube boilers into navy ships, which held out the promise of improved fuel efficiency and greater speed. The first examples were used by Thornycroft and Yarrow in 1892, and then were trialled in

3510-481: A thing is impossible, that there are insuperable objections, then is the time to fight like the devil . His next appointment was Third Naval Lord and Controller of the Navy , the naval officer with overall responsibility for provision of ships and equipment. He presided over the development of torpedo boat destroyers armed with quick-firing small-calibre guns (called destroyers at Fisher's suggestion). A suggestion for

3645-512: A tortuous layout that crew became lost. The sails were never used for propulsion, but because a ship's performance was partly judged on the speed with which a ship could set sails, Fisher was obliged to drill the crew in their use. In spring 1882 Inflexible was part of the Mediterranean Fleet and was assigned to protection of Queen Victoria during a visit to Menton on the Riviera . This

3780-412: Is the motto for the future, not Let us wait for orders ." Lord Hankey , then a marine officer serving under Fisher, later commented, "It is difficult for anyone who had not lived under the previous regime to realize what a change Fisher brought about in the Mediterranean fleet. ... Before his arrival, the topics and arguments of the officers messes ... were mainly confined to such matters as

3915-689: The Arethusa class which had all oil-firing and used lightweight destroyer -type machinery to make 29 knots (54 km/h). By World War I , British light cruisers often had either two 6-inch (152 mm) and perhaps eight 4-inch (102 mm) guns , or a uniform armament of 6-inch guns on a ship of around 5,000 tons, while German light cruisers progressed during the war from 4.1-inch (104 mm) to 5.9-inch (150 mm) guns. Cruiser construction in Britain continued uninterrupted until Admiral "Jacky" Fisher 's appointment as First Sea Lord in 1904. Due in part to

4050-579: The Magdeburg and Karlsruhe -class cruisers ) were faster but maintained a lighter 104 mm main armament compared to their British Town-class counterparts. With the Pillau and Wiesbaden -class cruisers the Germans followed the British example of heavier guns. Earlier German light cruisers were in competition with a series of British scout cruisers which had a higher speed of 25 knots, but smaller 3-inch 12 pounder guns or 4-inch guns. The Germans completed

4185-688: The Admiralty in 1910 on his 69th birthday, but became First Sea Lord again in November 1914. He resigned seven months later in frustration over Churchill 's Gallipoli campaign , and then served as chairman of the Government's Board of Invention and Research until the end of the war. Fisher was five feet seven inches tall and stocky with a round face. In later years, some suggested that Fisher, born in Ceylon of British parents, had Asian ancestry due to his features and

Town-class cruiser (1910) - Misplaced Pages Continue

4320-523: The British Admiralty decided to build a new class of large, fast and heavily armed cruisers for trade protection work. Again, a mixed armament of 7.5 in and 6 in guns were chosen, with mixed oil- and coal-fired boilers in order to aid operations in distant waters where oil supplies would be limited. The new design became known as the "Improved Birmingham " class or Hawkins class , with five being built, completing between 1918 and 1925. In early 1914,

4455-484: The First Hague Peace Convention in 1899. The peace conference had been called by Russia to agree to limits on armaments, but the British position was to reject any proposal which might restrict use of the navy. Fisher's style was to say little in formal meetings, but to lobby determinedly at all informal gatherings. He impressed many by his affability and style, combined with a serious determination to press

4590-538: The Greek Navy , in response to Turkish naval expansion, placed an order with the Coventry Syndicate, a consortium of the shipbuilders Cammell Laird , Fairfields , John Brown and the armament company Coventry Ordnance Works , for two light cruisers and four destroyers. The light cruisers, which were both to be built by Cammell Laird, and to be named Antinavarchos Kountouriotis and Lambros Katsonis , were based on

4725-665: The Gulf of Finland during the Crimean War , entitling Fisher to the Baltic Medal , before returning to Britain a few months later. The crew was paid off on 1 March 1856. On 2 March 1856, Fisher was posted to HMS  Agamemnon , and was sent to Constantinople (now Istanbul ) to join her. He arrived on 19 May, just as the war was ending. After a tour around the Dardanelles picking up troops and baggage, Agamemnon returned to England, where

4860-597: The Hunter-Killer cruiser (CLK) , the Antiaircraft cruiser (CLAA) , the light Command cruiser (CLC) , and the light Guided missile cruiser (CLG) . All such ships have been retired. John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher Admiral of the Fleet John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher , GCB , OM , GCVO (25 January 1841 – 10 July 1920), commonly known as Jacky or Jackie Fisher ,

4995-497: The North America and West Indies Station , Astley Cooper Key , from 2 March 1877 to 4 June 1878. Bellerophon had been in the dockyard for repairs, so the new crew was less than perfect in carrying out their duties. Fisher told them I intend to give you hell for three months, and if you have not come up to my standard in that time you'll have hell for another three months. Midshipman (later Admiral) Gordon Moore recalled, Fisher

5130-440: The shipping lanes . The Arethusa class , launched three years later, was also successful. British designers continued enlarging and refining subsequent cruiser designs throughout the war. The C class ships were started in 1913, and of these, HMS Caroline remains - the only extant survivor of the Battle of Jutland . The Germans built a number of light cruisers in the belief that they were good multi-purpose vessels. Unlike

5265-636: The sultan of the Ottoman Empire from gold cups and plates. He then returned to the UK for two months leave at half pay, visiting Bruges with his family. His next posting, starting 25 September 1879, was to HMS  Northampton as Flag Captain to Sir Leopold McClintock , commanding the North American squadron. Northampton was a new ship with a number of innovations, including twin screws, searchlights and telephones, as well as being armed with torpedoes. It

5400-428: The waterline to 2.5 feet (0.76 m) below it. This belt was part of the load bearing structure of the ship, reducing the overall weight of structure required. A thin armoured deck, 3 ⁄ 8 inch (9.5 mm) over most of its length and 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (38 mm) over the steering gear, was retained, mainly as a watertight deck. The ships' forecastle was again extended aft, reaching two-thirds of

5535-454: The "Atlantic cruiser", featuring various combinations of 7.5-inch (190 mm) and 6-inch guns, mixed oil- and coal-fired boilers and speeds of between 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) and 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph). When the rumoured German ships proved to be false, the Atlantic cruiser was abandoned. In 1915, as a response to German commerce raiding in the early months of the war,

Town-class cruiser (1910) - Misplaced Pages Continue

5670-492: The "infamous" Alfred Dreyfus to France to foment trouble within the French army. It was Fisher's policy to conduct all manoeuvres at full speed while training the fleet, and to expect the best from his crews. He would socialise with junior officers so that they were not afraid to approach him with ideas, or disagree with him when the occasion demanded. Fisher was chosen by Prime Minister Lord Salisbury as British naval delegate to

5805-493: The 1909–1910 Programme and commissioned between 1911 and 1912. Major changes from the Bristol class included a heavier main armament of eight 6 in guns, and changes to improve seaworthiness and reduce overcrowding. They were 453 feet (138.1 m) long overall, with a beam of 48 feet 6 inches (14.78 m) and a draught of 15 feet 6 inches (4.7 m). Displacement was 5,250 long tons (5,330 t) normal and 5,800 long tons (5,900 t) full load. Machinery

5940-600: The 5 inch (127 mm) of the US Atlanta -class and 5.25 inch of the British Dido -class anti-aircraft cruisers, up to 6.1 inch, though the most common size was 6 inch, the maximum size allowed by the London Naval Treaty for a ship to be considered a light cruiser. Most Japanese light cruisers had 5.5-inch guns and could hardly be considered to be in the same class as a U.S. Navy light cruiser twice

6075-402: The Admiralty to obtain additional ships and supplies for the Mediterranean squadron. Beresford, who had established a career in politics alongside his naval one, continued a public campaign for greater funding of the fleet, which caused him to come into conflict with the Admiralty. While Fisher agreed with him as to the need for greater funding and instant readiness for war, he chose to stay out of

6210-533: The Australian-built ship was laid down in 1913 and completed in 1916. The major difference between the Chatham s and the earlier Towns was a revised armour scheme. While the earlier ships were protected cruisers, depending on an armoured deck deep within the ship to protect machinery and magazines, the Chatham s relied on a vertical belt of armour . The Chatham class were 458 feet (139.6 m) long overall, with

6345-605: The Bath (CB) in 1882. From January to April 1883, Fisher was on half pay recovering from his illness. In January, he was invited to visit Osborne House for a fortnight by Queen Victoria, concerned about the charming Captain Fisher. Fisher, having entered the navy penniless and unknown, was delighted. In April 1883, Fisher had recovered sufficiently to return to duty and was appointed commander of HMS  Excellent . He remained with Excellent for two years until June 1885, where he gained

6480-401: The British case with everyone he met. The conference ended successfully with limitations only upon dumdum bullets, poison gas and bombings from balloons, and Fisher was rewarded with appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet , 'the tip-top appointment of the fleet' . The German delegation summarised Britain's position: English world position depended upon the navy, the navy

6615-424: The British fleet, and the numerous French torpedo boats. Fisher's innovations were not universally approved, with some senior officers resenting the attention he paid to their juniors, or the pressure he placed on all to improve efficiency. A programme of realistic exercises was adopted including simulated French raids, defensive manoeuvres, night attacks and blockades, all carried out at maximum speed. He introduced

6750-457: The British, who built both long-range cruisers like the Town class for commerce protection and short-range "scout" cruisers for fleet support, the Germans built a single series of light cruisers for both functions. Compared to the British "scout" type the German ships were bigger, slower and less manoeuvrable but, through a successive series of classes, improved consistently in seagoing qualities. However,

6885-585: The German Kaiser commented, 'I admire Fisher, I say nothing against him. If I were in his place I should do all that he has done and I should do all that I know he has in mind to do'. John Arbuthnot Fisher was born on 25 January 1841 on the Wavendon Estate at Ramboda in Ceylon . He was the eldest of eleven children, of whom only seven survived infancy, born to Sophia Fisher and Captain William Fisher,

SECTION 50

#1732863127778

7020-643: The Germans were very late in adapting 5.9-inch guns (not doing so until the Pillau class of 1913); Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz 's recalcitrance over the issue overrode the desires of others in the German Navy . For about a three-year period after the British Weymouth class of the Town series, completed with a uniform armament of 6-inch guns, and before the German Pillau class, German light cruisers (such as

7155-476: The Pacific and Indian Oceans. She was decommissioned in 1945, but recommissioned to become a tender at Sydney. She was broken up in 1949. Light cruiser The first small steam-powered cruisers were built for the British Royal Navy with HMS Mercury launched in 1878. Such second and third class protected cruisers evolved, gradually becoming faster, better armed and better protected. Germany took

7290-589: The Royal Navy, commissioning in 1914. A fourth, similar, ship, Adelaide , was built in Sydney for Australia. The First World War caused the construction of Adelaide , which was reliant on materials and parts from the United Kingdom, to be heavily delayed, with Adelaide not completing until 1922. They were closely based on the Chatham class but with a revised armament. While in theory, three guns could fire forwards in

7425-520: The Royal Society in 1861) and he taught Fisher much about navigation, with spectacular later results. When Shadwell was replaced as captain following an injury in action, he gave Fisher a pair of studs engraved with his family motto 'Loyal au Mort', which Fisher was to use for the rest of his life. Fisher passed the seamanship examination for the rank of lieutenant, and was given the acting rank of mate , on his nineteenth birthday, 25 January 1860. He

7560-519: The battlecruisers HMS  Hood and HMS  Furious and the aircraft carrier HMS  Hermes . The 12-pounder 76 mm (3.0 in) anti-aircraft guns were unavailable, however, and Vickers 3-pounder guns were fitted in their place. After the war, they were offered for sale back to the Greeks, but this offer was not taken up. The class saw much service in the First World War and many of

7695-447: The boats was brought to the Admiralty in 1892 by Alfred Yarrow of shipbuilders Thornycroft and Yarrow, who reported that he had obtained plans of new torpedo boats being built by the French, and he could build a faster boat to defend against them. Torpedo boats had become a major threat, as they were cheap but potentially able to sink the largest battleships, and France had built large numbers of them . The first destroyers were considered

7830-520: The class also saw action at the Battle of Jutland , the largest surface engagement of the First World War . In 1917, a Sopwith Pup from HMS Yarmouth became the first aircraft from a cruiser to shoot down an aircraft, specifically the Zeppelin L23 . The ships of the class saw more service than mentioned above, including action against German merchant ships. During the course of the war, two ships of

7965-735: The class to be built seriously overweight. They provided AA screening for the fast carriers, shore bombardment, and anti-destroyer screening for the US fleet. They traded a main gun turret for additional AA, fire control, and radar installations, over the Brooklyn class. Four are preserved as museum ships : HMS Belfast in London , HMS  Caroline in Belfast , USS  Little Rock in Buffalo, New York , and Mikhail Kutuzov at Novorossiysk . Similar ships include

8100-544: The class were sunk: these were HMS Falmouth and HMS Nottingham , both torpedoed by German submarines. After the end of the First World War, the surviving ships performed a variety of duties, including service on foreign stations. All ships, except Adelaide , were scrapped by the 1930s. Adelaide saw an extensive refit between 1938 and 1939. However, Adelaide was obsolete when the Second World War began, and she saw limited service, performing patrol and escort duties in

8235-400: The cleaning of paint and brasswork. ... These were forgotten and replaced by incessant controversies on tactics, strategy, gunnery, torpedo warfare, blockade, etc. It was a veritable renaissance and affected every officer in the navy." Lord Charles Beresford , later to become a severe critic of Fisher, gave up a plan to return to Britain and enter parliament, because he had "learnt more in

SECTION 60

#1732863127778

8370-564: The crew was paid off. Promotion to midshipman came on 12 July 1856 and Fisher joined a 21-gun steam corvette , HMS  Highflyer , part of the China Station . He was to spend the next five years in Chinese waters, seeing action in the Second Opium War , 1856–1860. The Highflyer's captain, Charles Shadwell , was an expert on naval astronomy (subsequently being appointed a Fellow of

8505-527: The design of the Chatham and Birmingham classes, but with a revised armament to be supplied by the Coventry Ordnance Works. The new cruisers were 446 feet (135.9 m) long overall, with a beam of 50 feet (15.2 m) and a draught of 16 feet (4.9 m). Displacement was between 5,185 long tons (5,268 t) and 5,235 long tons (5,319 t) normal, and between 5,795 long tons (5,888 t) and 5,845 long tons (5,939 t) deep load. Armour

8640-668: The desire to curtail excess expenditures in light of the increasing cost of keeping up with German naval production and in part because he felt the type to be outdated, Fisher authorized few new cruisers and scrapped 70 older ones. Fisher's belief that battlecruisers would take the place of light cruisers to protect commercial shipping soon proved impractical, as their high construction cost precluded their availability in sufficient numbers to do so, and destroyers were too small for scouting duties. The group of 21 Town-class cruisers begun in 1910 proved excellent in scouting in all types of weather and could carry enough fuel and ammunition to guard

8775-445: The end of his time discussion centred on how to shoot effectively at 5000 yards. This was driven by the increasing range of the torpedo, which had now risen to 3000–4000 yards, necessitating ships fighting effectively at greater ranges. At this time he advocated relatively small main armaments on capital ships (some had 15 inch or greater), because the improved technical design of the relatively small (10 inch) modern guns allowed

8910-491: The end of the tour, Jones was impressed by Fisher. At the end of November 1861, Fisher sat his final lieutenant's examination in navigation at the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth, passing with flying colours. He had already received top grades in seamanship and gunnery, and achieved the highest score then attained under the recently introduced five-yearly scheme, with 963 out of 1,000 marks in navigation. For this, he

9045-501: The first all-big-gun battleship, but he also believed that submarines would become increasingly important and urged their development. He became involved with the introduction of turbine engines to replace reciprocating engines , and with the introduction of oil fuelling to replace coal . He introduced daily baked bread on board ships, whereas when he entered the service it was customary to eat hard biscuits , frequently infested by biscuit beetles . He first officially retired from

9180-517: The first all-iron seagoing armoured battleship and the most powerful ship in the fleet. Built in 1859, she marked the beginning of the end of the Age of Sail and, coincidentally, was armed with both Armstrong guns (breech-loading) and Whitworth rifles (muzzle-loading). Fisher noted he was popular amongst his brother officers because he frequently stayed on board when others went ashore and could take duty for them. Fisher returned to Excellent in 1864 as

9315-451: The gap, leading to large numbers of leg injuries in the ships' gun crews. It was originally intended that the Bristol class would be fitted with a main gun armament of unshielded 4-inch (102 mm) guns, but the need to counter German light cruisers (such as the Königsberg class ), which were armed with ten 105-millimetre (4.1 in) guns that outranged British 4-inch guns, resulted in

9450-507: The gunboat Sharpshooter . However, an attempt to specify similar boilers for new cruisers in 1894 led to questions in the House of Commons, and opposition from shipbuilders who did not want to invest in the new technology. The matter continued for several years after Fisher moved on to a new posting, with a parliamentary enquiry rejecting the new boilers. Eventually the new design was adopted, but only after another eighteen ships had been built using

9585-563: The hulk of the 26-gun steam frigate Ariadne provided accommodation. HMS  Vesuvius , a torpedo boat of 245 tons, was Vernon's experimental tender for the conduct of torpedo trials. They were moored in Portsmouth Harbour . In 1876, Fisher served on the Board of Admiralty 's torpedo committee. Fisher was appointed to command HMS  Bellerophon as flag captain to the Admiral of

9720-507: The last two of their Bremen -class cruisers in 1906 and 1907 and followed them up with four Königsberg -class and two Dresden -class cruisers between 1905 and 1908. These last two classes, larger and faster than the Bremen s, were armed the same (ten 4.1-inch guns) and carried less deck armor. Other major powers concentrated on battleship construction and built few cruisers. The United States , Italy , and Austria-Hungary each built only

9855-461: The last week than in the last forty years." Fisher implemented a program of banquets and balls for important dignitaries to improve diplomatic relations. The fleet visited Constantinople, where he had three meetings with the sultan and was awarded the Grand Cordon, Order of Osmanieh in November 1900, and the following year he was promoted to full Admiral on 5 November 1901. He lobbied hard with

9990-432: The length of the ship, and allowing two more guns to be raised up onto the forecastle, while the ships' metacentric height was reduced, making the ships better gun platforms. Officer's accommodation was moved back to the rear of the ships in this class. Machinery layout was again similar to the earlier Towns, with one ship, Southampton, having a two-shaft layout. It was rated at 25,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) giving

10125-458: The line . She was built of wood, in 1831, with 84 smooth-bore muzzle-loading guns arranged on two gun decks, and relied entirely on sail for propulsion. She had a crew of 700, and discipline was strictly enforced by the "hard-bitten Captain Robert Stopford". Fisher fainted when he witnessed eight men being flogged on his first day. Calcutta participated in the blockade of Russian ports in

10260-525: The maximum limitations for heavy cruisers allowed under the Washington treaty. Japan laid down its four Mogami -class cruisers between 1931 and 1934. The political climate from 1936 to 1939 gave the renewed building of light cruisers an added urgency. The British built 11 during this period, which culminated in the two Town-class ships, armed with 12 6-inch (152 mm) guns. The new ships were larger and better armored than other British treaty cruisers, with

10395-447: The names of British towns except for the RAN ships, which were named after Australian cities. The Bristol class were all ordered under the 1908–09 Programme and commissioned in late 1910. They were second class cruisers suitable for a variety of roles including both trade protection and fleet duties. They were 453 feet (138.1 m) long overall , with a beam of 47 feet (14.3 m) and

10530-403: The navy rather than as a seagoing admiral involved in major battles, although in his career he experienced all these things. When appointed First Sea Lord in 1904 he removed 150 ships then on active service which were no longer useful and set about constructing modern replacements, developing a modern fleet prepared to meet Germany during the First World War . Fisher saw the need to improve

10665-589: The navy, via his godmother Lady Horton , widow of the governor of Ceylon to whom William Fisher had been Aide-de-camp . She prevailed upon a neighbour, Admiral Sir William Parker (the last of Nelson 's captains), to nominate John as a naval cadet. The entry examination consisted of writing out the Lord's Prayer and jumping naked over a chair. He formally entered the Royal Navy on 13 July 1854, aged 13, on board Nelson's former flagship, Victory , at Portsmouth. On 29 July he joined HMS  Calcutta , an old ship of

10800-405: The new class's armament being revised. They had two BL 6-inch (152 mm) Mk XI naval guns mounted on the ships' centreline fore and aft, with ten BL 4-inch Mk VII guns in waist mountings. All these guns were fitted with shields. Four Vickers 3-pounder (47 mm) saluting guns were fitted, while two submerged 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes were fitted, with seven torpedoes carried. This armament

10935-497: The new ironclad battleship HMS  Inflexible . Admiral McClintock commented, Everyone regrets the departure of Captain Fisher, but I fancy we shall not fully realize our loss until he is gone....Since his nomination to the Inflexible , his spirits have returned and daily increased, and now he almost requires wiring down. The ship was still building, so Fisher was temporarily appointed to HMS  Duke of Wellington , flagship of

11070-626: The older design, with consequent poorer performance than necessary. Fisher was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1894 as a Knight Commander of the Bath , promoted to vice-admiral in 1896, and put in charge of the North America and West Indies Station in 1897. In 1898 the Fashoda Crisis brought the threat of war with France, to which Fisher responded with plans to raid the French West Indies including Devil's Island prison, and return

11205-770: The paddle- sloop HMS  Furious where he saw sufficient action to add the Taku Forts and Canton clasps to his China War Medal . Furious left Hong Kong and the China Station in March 1861 and, after a leisurely voyage home, paid off her crew in Portsmouth on 30 August. Captain Oliver Jones of the Furious was entirely different from Shadwell: Fisher wrote there was a mutiny on board within his first fortnight, that Jones terrorized his crew and disobeyed orders given to him. For his part, by

11340-430: The performance of the "revolutionary" Armstrong breech-loading guns against the conventional Whitworth muzzle-loading type. During free afternoons Fisher would walk the downs, shouting to practice his command voice. He spent 15 of the next 25 years in four tours of duty at Portsmouth concerned with development of gunnery and torpedoes . In March 1863, Fisher was appointed Gunnery Lieutenant to HMS  Warrior ,

11475-456: The point he was seeking to make, and on one occasion, the King asked him to stop shaking his fist in his face. He was considered a "man who demanded to be heard, and one who didn't suffer fools lightly". Throughout his life he was a religious man and attended church regularly when ashore. He had a passion for sermons and might attend two or three services in a day to hear them, which he would 'discuss afterwards with great animation'. However, he

11610-539: The port admiral at Portsmouth between 30 January and 4 July 1881. Fisher was considered sufficiently able, with recommendations following all of his postings, to be appointed captain of the newly completed battleship HMS  Inflexible . Inflexible had the largest guns and thickest armour of any ship in the navy, but still carried masts and sails and had slow, muzzle-loading guns. She had been seven years under construction and had many innovations built into her, including electric lighting and torpedo tubes, but with such

11745-465: The port of Alexandria as part of Admiral Seymour 's fleet. Fisher was placed in charge of a landing party which was quartered in the Khedive's palace. Lacking means of reconnaissance, he devised a plan to armour a train with iron plates, machine gun and cannon. This became celebrated and widely reported by correspondents, so that its inventor, Fisher, came to the attention of the public for the first time as

11880-476: The possibility of building privately new designs of ship which he believed would be needed to maintain the strength of the fleet. In early June 1902 Fisher handed over the command of the Mediterranean Squadron to Admiral Sir Compton Domvile , and returned to the UK to take up the appointment as Second Naval Lord in charge of personnel. He was read in at the Admiralty on 9 June, and took up his duties

12015-518: The practice of junior officers dancing on deck when the band was playing for senior officers' wardroom dinners. This practice spread through the fleet. He broke with the then ball tradition of dancing with a different partner for each dance, instead adopting the scandalous habit of choosing one good dancer as his partner for the evening. His ability to charm all comers of all social classes made up for his sometimes blunt or tactless comments. He suffered from seasickness throughout his life. Fisher's aim

12150-519: The previous arrangement (the forward centreline gun and the forward two waist guns), in practice the effects of blast from the waist guns on the bridge and conning tower prevented this. The solution was to mount two guns side-by side on the forecastle, forward of the bridge, giving a total armament of nine BL 6 inch Mk XII guns. The remainder of the armament was unchanged (i.e. four 3-pounder saluting guns and two submerged 21-inch torpedo tubes ). The ships were 457 feet (139.3 m) long overall ( Adelaide

12285-480: The protected cruisers Aurora ( St. Petersburg ) and USS  Olympia ( Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ), and the bow of Puglia ( Gardone Riviera ). In the United States Navy , light cruisers have the hull classification symbol CL . Both heavy cruisers and light cruisers were classified under a common CL/CA sequence after 1931. After World War II, US Navy created several light cruiser sub-variants:

12420-461: The protection of coal bunkers and would therefore have to adopt some form of side armoring. The British Chatham group of Town-class cruisers were a departure from previous designs; with turbine propulsion, mixed coal and oil firing and a 2-inch protective armored belt as well as deck. Thus, by definition, they were armored cruisers, despite displacing only 4,800 tons; the light armored cruiser had arrived. The first true modern light cruisers were

12555-451: The public debate. However, he maintained a steady confidential correspondence with the journalist Arnold White , providing him with information and advice for a newspaper campaign promoting the needs of the navy. During the course of the correspondence in 1902, Fisher noted that although France was Britain's historical enemy, Britain had considerable common interest with France as a possible ally, whereas growing German activity abroad made her

12690-405: The range, accuracy and rate-of-fire of naval gunnery , and became an early proponent of the use of the torpedo , which he believed would supersede big guns for use against ships. As Controller, he introduced torpedo-boat destroyers as a class of ship intended for defence against attack from torpedo boats or from submarines. As First Sea Lord he drove the construction of HMS  Dreadnought ,

12825-664: The remaining three ships used Parsons turbines driving four shafts. Speed during sea trials varied between 25.856 knots (47.885 km/h; 29.755 mph) ( Glasgow ) and 27.012 knots (50.026 km/h; 31.085 mph) ( Bristol ). The experimental two-shaft layout of Bristol was successful, giving greater efficiency, especially at lower speeds. The ships used both coal and oil for fuel, with 1353 tons of coal and 260 tons of oil carried, giving an endurance of about 5,070 nautical miles (9,390 km; 5,830 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). The Bristol s were protected cruisers , with an armoured deck providing protection for

12960-416: The school, he invited politicians and journalists to attend lectures and organised demonstrations. This produced mixed reactions amongst some officers, who did not approve of his showmanship. He was promoted to captain on 30 October 1874, aged thirty-three, in time to be Vernon ' s first commander. Vernon consisted of the hulk of HMS  Vernon , William Symonds ' 1832 50-gun sailing frigate, and

13095-482: The ship carried out 150 runs with torpedoes in a fortnight, whereas the whole rest of the navy performed only 200 in a year. Fisher's brother Philip was serving on the training ship Atalanta , which disappeared somewhere between the West Indies and England, believed lost in a storm. Northampton was one of the ships sent to search for her, but without result. In January 1881 Fisher received news of his appointment to

13230-511: The ship, although the aircraft could not land back on it so the pilot would have to ditch into the sea if it was not possible to reach land. In 1918, Weymouth also received a similar installation. The Chatham class of six ships, three for the Royal Navy and three for Australia (of which one was to be built in Australia) were ordered under the 1910–1911 Programme. The five British-built ships commissioned between 1912 and 1913, while Brisbane ,

13365-449: The ships it then had in service had become obsolete. The first of these, the ten Omaha -class ships, displaced 7,050 tons and were armed with twelve 6-inch (152 mm) guns. Eight of these guns were mounted in double-story casemates at the bow and stern, a reflection of the US prewar preference for heavy end-on fire. Fast and maneuverable, they were well-liked as seaboats despite being very wet in rough weather. The term light cruiser

13500-470: The ships left their mark on history. Ships of the class saw action at the Battles of Coronel , the Battle of the Falkland Islands and the Battle of Heligoland Bight in 1914. That same year, Sydney attacked SMS  Emden in an action that lasted over an hour and resulted in the German warship being beached by her captain to avoid his ship sinking. Also that year, Birmingham became the first ship to sink

13635-419: The ships' vitals. The armoured deck was 2 inches (51 mm) thick over the magazines and machinery, 1 inch (25 mm) over the steering gear and 3 ⁄ 4 inch (19 mm) elsewhere. The conning tower was protected by 6 inches (150 mm) of armour, with the gun shields having 3 inches (76 mm) armour, as did the ammunition hoists. As the protective deck was at waterline , the ships were given

13770-534: The size and carrying more than two times as much firepower. The Atlanta s and Dido s were born out of the tactical need for vessels to protect aircraft carriers, battleships and convoys from air attack. The United States would move into full wartime production of the light cruisers of the Cleveland -class of which 27 would be produced. Unwilling to allow changes to slow production, the United States allowed ships of

13905-480: The speed of operations. Royal Sovereign was built in two years rather than three, while changing a barbette gun on a ship was reduced from a two-day operation to two hours. His example obliged all shipyards, both navy and private, to reduce the time they took to complete a ship, making savings in cost and allowing new designs to enter service more rapidly. He used all the tricks he could devise: an official who refused to step outside his office to personally supervise

14040-421: The standards he demanded. He gave lectures on naval strategy to which all officers were invited and once again encouraged his officers to bring ideas to him. He offered prizes for essays on tactics and maintained a large tabletop map room with models of all ships in the fleet, where all officers could come to develop tactics. A particular concern was the threat of torpedoes, which Germany had boasted would dispose of

14175-563: The top of the tree." They remained married until her death in July 1918. They had a son, Cecil Vavasseur , 2nd Baron Fisher (1868–1955), and three daughters, Beatrix Alice (1867–1930), Dorothy Sybil (1873–1962), and Pamela Mary (1876–1949), all of whom married naval officers who went on to become admirals. Beatrix Alice married Reginald Rundell Neeld in 1896, Pamela Mary married Henry Blackett in 1906, and in 1908 Dorothy Sybil married Eric Fullerton . Fisher's father ultimately aided his entry into

14310-540: The two ships for the Greeks after the outbreak of the First World War, but early in 1915, with no sign of an end to the war, the British Admiralty took over the contract for the two ships, which became the Birkenhead class, together with the 5.5-inch guns and ammunition. The ships' main armament was kept by the Royal Navy, and proved to be successful in service, with the 5.5 in gun being selected as secondary armament for

14445-480: The very thought of it and really, I don't want to see her. I don't see why I should as I haven't the slightest recollection of her." Fisher married Frances Katharine Josepha Broughton, known as 'Kitty', the daughter of the Rev. Thomas Delves Broughton and Frances Corkran, on 4 April 1866 while stationed at Portsmouth . Kitty's two brothers were both naval officers. According to a cousin, she believed that Jack would rise "to

14580-449: The visit, he started preparing a paper on the design, construction and management of electrical torpedoes, the cutting-edge technology of the time. On 2 August 1869 Fisher was promoted to the rank of commander , "at the early age of twenty-eight" according to biographer Ruddock Mackay. On 8 November, he was posted as second-in-command of HMS  Donegal , serving under Captain Hewett ,

14715-436: The work was offered a promotion to the tropics; he would find out the name of one or two men amongst a work crew and then make a point of complimenting them on their work and using their names, giving the impression he knew everyone personally; he took a chair and table into the yard where some operation was to be carried out and declared his intention to stay there until the operation was completed. He observed, When you are told

14850-429: The yellow cast of his skin. However, his colour resulted from dysentery and malaria in middle life, which nearly caused his death. He had a fixed and compelling gaze when addressing someone, which gave little clue to his feelings. Fisher was energetic, ambitious, enthusiastic and clever. A shipmate described him as "easily the most interesting midshipman I ever met". When addressing someone he could become carried away with

14985-516: Was 'efficiency of the fleet and its instant readiness for war', which won him support amongst a certain kind of navy officer. He believed in advancing the most able, rather than the longest serving. This upset those he passed over. Thus, he divided the navy into those who approved of his innovations and those who did not. As he became older and more senior he also became more autocratic and commented, 'Anyone who opposes me, I crush'. He believed that nations fought wars for material gain, and that maintaining

15120-417: Was 462 feet 9 inches (141.05 m) long), with a beam of 50 feet (15.2 m) and a draught of 16 feet (4.9 m). They displaced 5,440 long tons (5,530 t) normal and 6,040 long tons (6,140 t) deep load ( Adelaide displaced 5,550 long tons (5,640 t) normal and 6,160 long tons (6,260 t) deep load). The ships' forecastle had increased flare to reduce spray. The ships' machinery

15255-404: Was 6 feet 2 inches..., also especially handsome. Why I am ugly is one of those puzzles of physiology which are beyond finding out". William Fisher sold his commission the year John was born, and became a coffee planter and later chief superintendent of police. He incurred such debt on his two coffee plantations that he could barely support his growing family. At the age of six John (who

15390-453: Was a British Admiral of the Fleet . With more than sixty years in the Royal Navy , his efforts to reform the service helped to usher in an era of modernisation which saw the supersession of wooden sailing ships armed with muzzle-loading cannon by steel-hulled battlecruisers , submarines and the first aircraft carriers . Fisher has a reputation as an innovator, strategist and developer of

15525-690: Was a very exacting master and I had at times long and arduous duties, long hours at the engine room telegraphs in cold fog, etc., and the least inattention was punished. It was, I think, his way of proving us, for he always rewarded us in some way when an extra hard bit of work was over. Cooper Key was transferred to a special squadron operating in the Channel formed to combat fears of war with Russia. Fisher went with him as flag captain of HMS Hercules from 7 June to 21 August 1878. From 22 August to 12 September he transferred still as flag captain under Cooper Key to HMS  Valorous . At this time Fisher first became

15660-527: Was always known within the family as "Jack" ) was sent to England to live with his maternal grandfather, Alfred Lambe, in London. His grandfather had also lost money and the family survived by renting out rooms in their home. John's younger brother, Frederic William Fisher , joined the Royal Navy and reached the rank of admiral, and his youngest surviving sibling Philip became a navy lieutenant on HMS  Atalanta before drowning in an 1880 storm. William Fisher

15795-506: Was as fitted to the Chatham s. Machinery was also as in the Chatham s. The first ship, later to become Birkenhead , had the same mixed oil-and coal-fired boilers, with the machinery rated at 25,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) with a speed of 25.5 knots (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph), but the second ship (later Chester ) had all oil-fired boilers, which boosted power to 31,000 shaft horsepower (23,000 kW) and speed to 26.5 knots (49.1 km/h; 30.5 mph). The ships' main armament

15930-470: Was awarded the Beaufort Testimonial, an annual prize of books and instruments; but in the meantime he had to wait around, unpaid, until his appointment came through officially. From January 1862 to March 1863, Fisher returned to the payroll at the navy's principal gunnery school aboard HMS  Excellent , a three-decker moored in Portsmouth harbour. During this time, Excellent was evaluating

16065-590: Was concerned with the route north–south to its colonies in Northern Africa. Fisher retained his flagship from the North American Squadron, HMS  Renown , rather than choosing a more powerful but slower traditional battleship, despite criticism from other officers. His strategy emphasised the importance of striking the first blow, but with an awareness that sunk ships could not easily be replaced, and would replace any officer who could not keep up with

16200-415: Was considered rather too light for ships of this size, while the waist guns were subject to immersion in a high sea, making them difficult to work. They had a crew of 480 officers and men, with the officers accommodated in the forward part of the ship, rather than aft as per tradition, following the instructions of Admiral Fisher to improve fighting efficiency. This arrangement was unpopular, however, as it

16335-454: Was discreet in expressing his religious views because he feared public attention might hinder his professional career. He was not keen on sport, but he was a highly proficient dancer. Fisher employed his dancing skill later in life to charm a number of important ladies. He became interested in dancing in 1877 and insisted that the officers of his ship learn to dance. Fisher cancelled the leave of midshipmen who would not take part. He introduced

16470-500: Was fitted with an experimental Thomson-designed compass, which the inventor was on hand to adjust. Three days were spent attempting and failing to adjust the compass, with Thomson becoming increasingly bad tempered, until it was noticed that by accident the degree card had been marked with only 359 instead of 360 degrees. The ship was fitted with a new design of lamp created by Captain Philip Colomb , who came on board to inspect them. As

16605-471: Was given a new definition by the London Naval Treaty of 1930. Light cruisers were defined as cruisers having guns of 6.1-inch (155 mm) or smaller, with heavy cruisers defined as cruisers having guns of up to 8-inch (203 mm). In both cases, the ships could not be greater than 10,000 tons. After 1930, most naval powers concentrated on building light cruisers since they had already built up to

16740-524: Was in the hands of the War Office . Fisher began a long campaign to return this responsibility to the Admiralty, but did not finally succeed until he later became First Sea Lord. He was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Queen in 1887, and promoted Rear-Admiral in August 1890. From May 1891 to February 1892, Fisher was Admiral Superintendent of the dockyard at Portsmouth , where he concerned himself with improving

16875-434: Was intended as a reminder of British naval prowess to the French, but allowed Fisher to meet Victoria and her grandson, Prince Henry of Prussia , who later became admiral of the German navy. Victoria was impressed by Fisher, as she had been by his brother Philip who had served on royal yachts and for whom she had arranged the ill-fated posting to Atalanta . Inflexible took part in the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War , bombarding

17010-495: Was killed in a riding accident on 5 May 1866 when John was 25. John's relationship with his mother Sophia suffered from their separation. However, he continued to send her an allowance until her death. In 1870, when Sophia suggested a visit, Fisher dissuaded her as strongly as he could. Fisher wrote to his wife: "I heard from my mother... She contemplates coming to see me... I am in a horrid fright of my mother turning up some day unexpectedly; I am sure we couldn't live together. I hate

17145-403: Was preferred to keep officer's and other ranks accommodation separate for disciplinary reasons, while the Bristol class were very cramped, with only 12.5 square feet (1.16 m) for each seaman to live, eat, and sleep. In the First World War , the class's anti-aircraft armament was increased with the fitting of a single QF 3 inch (76 mm) 20 cwt gun . The Weymouth class were ordered under

17280-426: Was rated at 25,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) giving a speed of 25.5 knots (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph). A 3-inch anti-aircraft gun was fitted in 1915, while Lowestoft and Birmingham were fitted with director control. ( Nottingham was lost before it could be fitted). Adelaide was completed with these modifications, and received a major refit in the 1930s, with coal-fired boilers being removed along with

17415-450: Was revised, with three guns (one on the centreline and two on the beam) on an enlarged forecastle that also provided accommodation for the ships' officers. The remaining waist guns were protected by a bulwark to make them more weather resistant. Torpedo armament was increased, with two 21-inch (533 mm) submerged tubes (with seven torpedoes carried), while the ships' armament was completed by four 3-pounder saluting guns. The class saw

17550-464: Was similar to the Bristol class, with again a single example ( Yarmouth ) having the Brown-Curtis turbines and two-shaft arrangement used in Bristol , while the remaining three ships had the four-shaft, Yarrow turbine machinery. Speed remained 25 knots. Armour remained unchanged from the Bristol s, while the main gun armament was changed to eight BL 6 inch Mk XI guns. The arrangement of the armament

17685-588: Was sufficiently powerful to overcome any combination of states, and England reserved the right to employ that fleet any way it chose. Unlike the North America and West Indies station, the Mediterranean Fleet was a vital British command operating from Alexandria and Gibraltar . The important shipping route between India and Britain passed through the Suez Canal , and was considered threatened by France. France

17820-445: Was ten QF 5.5 in (140 mm) Mark I guns (50 calibres long) to a new design by Coventry Ordnance Works. The guns fired an 82-pound (37 kg) shell to a range of 13,100 yards (12,000 m). The lighter shell was easier to handle, and gave a greater rate of fire. It was planned to fit the ships with two 12-pounder 76 mm (3.0 in) (76 mm) anti-aircraft guns, while two 21-inch torpedo tubes were fitted. Work continued on

17955-457: Was transferred three months later from the steam frigate Chesapeake to the screw corvette Pearl as an acting lieutenant . Shortly afterwards, Fisher had his first brief command: taking the yacht of the China Squadron's admiral—the paddle- gunboat HMS  Coromandel —from Hong Kong to Canton (presently Guangzhou ), a voyage of four days. He was transferred, on 12 June 1860, to

18090-518: Was unchanged. Wartime changes were similar to those made to the Weymouth s, with a 3-inch anti-aircraft gun fitted during 1915 and director control with its associated tripod mast fitted later in the war. Four of the ships ( Dublin , Southampton , Melbourne and Sydney ) were fitted for platforms for operating aircraft. The 1911–1912 Programme brought the Birmingham class . Three ships were ordered for

18225-442: Was whilst he was on Ocean that he wrote an eight-page memoir: "Naval Tactics", which Captain J. G. Goodenough had printed for private circulation. He installed a system of electrical firing so that all guns could be fired simultaneously, making Ocean the first vessel to be so equipped. Fisher noted in his letters that he greatly missed his wife, but also missed his work on torpedoes and the access to important people possible with

#777222